24 October 2016 – The Philippine Consulate General in Vancouver recently conducted Financial Literacy Seminars (FLS) for Overseas Filipinos on 24 September 2016 in Radium Hot Springs, BC; 12 October 2016 in Surrey, BC and 14 October 2016 in Abbotsford, BC.

At the Consulate General’s consular outreach in Radium Hot Springs, BC on 24 September 2016, the Consulate shared with passport applicants Bangko Sentral’s Module on Financial Learning Campaign. The short presentation was aimed at increasing the awareness of overseas Filipinos about the availability and accessibility of financial education programs; and familiarizing them on the available financial tools that can help in the promotion of their financial well-being. Applicants were also apprised of consular updates, especially on civil registry.

On 12 October 2016, Post, together with POLO, held another FLS in Surrey, BC with farm workers and tomato pickers as audience. Ms. Fely Rosales, Overseas Representative Officer of Land Bank’s OFW Remittance Group, conducted the seminar while Vice Consul Cham Guevara provided the attendees an update on Post’s various consular services and fees. POLO OIC Ms. Violeta Buenaventura also updated them on the latest development on labor services and overseas exit clearances (OECs), particularly on the need to update their respective OWWA membership contributions.

Another group of TFWs based in Abbotsford, BC attended a similar FLS event on 14 October 2016. Ms. Rosales and Ms. Guevara presented to an audience of poultry farm workers (chicken catchers), mushroom pickers and caregivers. The attendees were members of the Foreign Workers Cooperative of BC (FWCBC), a cooperative of more than 400 members, mostly Filipinos working and living in Surrey, Delta, Abbotsford, Langley and Vancouver. END